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Introducing Our New Associate Rector, Rev. Hershey Mallette Stephens

I am delighted to announce to you our next Associate Rector, The Rev. Hershey Mallette Stephens. Hershey will oversee our Children, Youth, and Family Ministries, which includes directing our Church School.

Hershey is a native North Carolinian. Baptized and raised at St. Ambrose Church in Raleigh, she is a third-generation Episcopalian. Hershey was educated at North Carolina A&T State University and Howard University before graduating from General Theological Seminary. At General, she served as Chief Sacristan and was awarded the Bishop of Newark Preaching Prize.

Most recently, Hershey has worked in the Presiding Bishop’s Office of Evangelism, where she was Project Lead for the Beloved Community Storysharing Campaign. This work afforded her the joy and opportunity to hear stories of faith, grace, and discovery from Episcopalians of all ages and backgrounds from around the country.

Hershey enjoys listening and learning from children and young people, and dreaming up new and fresh ways to tell the story of God in Christ. She has served as chaplain intern at New York University, and as a chaplain at several international youth events and Episcopal Church young adult conferences. She is an avid learner with a curious spirit, and, among other things, enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, and traveling and meeting Episcopalians and Anglicans from all over the world.

Hershey is married to Rob Stephens. Rob is the Minister for Congregational Life at Middle Collegiate Church, a multicultural community in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. Together, they enjoy cooking, and also working on the Poor People’s Campaign. They are both looking forward to joining the community at St. John’s.

Hershey’s first Sunday with us will be on August 5, 2018. Please join us in prayer for Hershey as she and Rob move to the area, and as they undertake their new ministries. May God’s blessing be upon us, also, as we welcome Hershey into our midst, and may the Spirit of God prepare us for all the beautiful ways in which her presence will enrich our life and ministry.